शक्तोऽहमपि शप्तुं त्वां मान्यास्तु ब्राह्मणा मम। जानतोऽपि च ते ब्रह्मन्कथयिष्ये निबोध तत्
I too am capable of cursing you, but Brahmins are honored by me; yet, O Brahman, though I know, I will tell you—listen to this.
योगेन बहुधाऽऽत्मानं कृत्वा तिष्ठामि मूर्तिषु। अग्निहोत्रेषु सत्रेषु क्रियासु च मखेषु च
Through yoga, I manifest myself in many forms; I abide in the rituals of agnihotra, in sacrifices, and in ceremonies and rites.
वेदोक्तेन विधानेन मयि यद्धूयते हविः। देवताः पितरश्चैव तेन तृप्ता भवन्ति वै
By the procedure prescribed in the Vedas, whatever offering is poured into me, the gods and ancestors are truly satisfied by it.
आपो देवगणाः सर्वे आपः पितृगणास्तथा। दर्शश्च पौर्णमासश्च देवानां पितृभिः सह
Waters are the hosts of gods, and waters are also the hosts of ancestors; both the Darsha and Purnamasa rites are performed for gods together with ancestors.
देवताः पितरस्तस्मात्पितरश्चापि देवताः। एकीभूताश्च दृश्यन्ते पृथक्त्वेन च पर्वसु
Thus, gods and ancestors, and ancestors as well as gods, are seen united and also separately at the sacred times.
देवताः पितरश्चैव भुञ्जते मयि यद्भुतम्। देवतानां पितॄणां च मुखमेतदहं स्मृतम्
Gods and ancestors both partake of whatever is offered into me; I am regarded as the mouth of both gods and ancestors.
अमावास्यां हि पितरः पौर्णमास्यां हि देवताः। मन्मुखेनैव हूयन्ते भुञ्जते च हुतं हविः
On the new moon, the ancestors, and on the full moon, the gods, are offered oblations through my mouth and consume the offerings.
सर्वभक्षः कथं त्वेषां भविष्यामि मुखं त्वहम्
How then shall I become their mouth, being all-consuming?
द्विजानामग्निहोत्रेषु यज्ञसत्रक्रियासु च। निरोंकारवषट्काराः स्वधास्वाहाविवर्जिताः
In the agnihotra rituals and sacrificial rites of the twice-born, without the utterance of 'Om' and 'Vashat', and lacking 'Svaha' and 'Swadha',
विनाऽग्निना प्रजाः सर्वास्तत आसन्सुदुःखिताः। अथर्षयः समुद्विग्ना देवान् गत्वाब्रुवन्वचः
Without fire, all creatures became greatly distressed; then the sages, troubled, went to the gods and spoke these words.
अग्निनाशात्क्रियाभ्रांशाद्भ्रान्ता लोकास्त्रयोऽनघाः। विधध्वमत्र यत्कार्यं न स्यात्कालात्ययो यथा
Due to the absence of Agni and the disruption of rites, the three worlds became confused; arrange here what must be done so that time's order is not broken.
अथर्षयश्च देवाश्च ब्रह्माणमुपगम्य तु। अग्नेरावेदयञ्शापं क्रियासंहारमेव च
Then the sages and gods approached Brahma and informed him of Agni's curse and the cessation of rituals.
भृगुणा वै महाभाग शप्तोऽग्निः कारणान्तरे। कथं देवमुखो भूत्वा यज्ञभागाग्रभुक् तथा
Agni, O illustrious one, was cursed by Bhrigu for another reason; how can he, being the mouth of the gods, again partake of the foremost share of sacrifices?
श्रुत्वा तु तद्वचस्तेषामग्निमाहूय विश्वकृत्
Hearing their words, the creator of all summoned Agni.
उवाच वचनं श्लक्ष्णं भूतभावनमव्ययम्। लोकानामिह सर्वेषां त्वं कर्ता चान्त एव च
He spoke gentle words, eternal and creative of beings: 'You are the maker and the end of all these worlds here.'
त्वं धारयसि लोकांस्त्रीन्क्रियाणां च प्रवर्तकः। स तथा कुरु लोकेश नोच्छिद्येरन्यथा क्रियाः
You uphold the three worlds and are the initiator of rites; therefore, O Lord of the worlds, act thus, or else the rites would be interrupted.
कस्मादेवं विमूढस्त्वमीश्वरः सन् हुताशेन। त्वं पवित्रं सदा लोके सर्वभूतगतिश्च ह
Why are you thus confused, though you are the Lord, O Fire? You are always pure in the world and indeed the refuge of all beings.
न त्वं सर्वशरीरेण सर्वभक्षत्वमेष्यसि। अपाने ह्यर्चिषो यास्ते सर्वं भक्ष्यन्ति ताः शिखिन्
You will not, with your whole body, become the devourer of all; for the flames you emit in the lower breath consume everything, O flaming one.
क्रव्यादा च तनुर्या ते सा सर्वं भक्षयिष्यति। यथा सूर्यांशुभिः स्पृष्टं सर्वं शुचि विभाव्यते
Your form as the devourer of flesh will consume all, just as everything touched by the rays of the sun is seen as pure.
तथा त्वदर्चिर्निर्दग्धं सर्वं शुचि भविष्यति। त्वमग्ने परमं तेजः स्वप्रभावाद्विनिर्गतम्
In the same way, all that is burned by your flame will become pure; you, O Agni, are the supreme radiance, arisen from your own power.
स्वतेजसैव तं शापं कुरु सत्यमृषेर्विभो। देवानां चात्मनो भागं गृहाण त्वं मुखे हुतम्
By your own radiance, fulfill the sage's curse, O mighty one, and accept, in your mouth, the share of the gods and yourself that is offered.
एवमस्त्विति तं वह्निः प्रत्युवाच पितामहम्। जगाम शासनं कर्तुं देवस्य परमेष्ठिनः
Agni replied to the Grandfather, 'So be it,' and went to carry out the command of the supreme Lord.
देवर्षयश्च मुदितास्ततो जग्मुर्यथागतम्। ऋषयश्च यथा पूर्वं क्रियाः सर्वाः प्रचक्रिरे
Then the divine sages, delighted, departed as they had come, and the seers performed all the rites as before.
दिवि देवा मुमुदिरे भूतसङ्घाश्च लौकिकाः। अग्निश्च परमां प्रीतिमवाप हतकल्मषः
The gods in heaven rejoiced, as did the hosts of worldly beings, and Agni, freed from sin, attained supreme satisfaction.
एवं स भगवाञ्छापं लेभेऽग्निर्भृगुतः पुरा। एवमेष पुरा वृत्त हतिहासोऽग्निशापजः। पुलोम्नश्च विनाशोऽयं च्यवनस्य च संभवः
Thus, in ancient times, the blessed Agni received the curse from Bhrigu; so this event occurred long ago—the laughter of Hati, the curse of Agni, the destruction of Puloman, and the birth of Cyavana.
स चापि च्यवनो ब्रह्मन्भार्गवोऽजनयत्सुतम्। सुकन्यायां महात्मानं प्रमतिं दीप्ततेजसम्
And Cyavana, O Brahman, the descendant of Bhrigu, begot a son by Sukanya, the great-souled, radiant Pramati.
प्रमतिस्तु रुरुं नाम घृताच्यां समजीजनत्। रुरुः प्रमद्वरायां तु शुनकं समजीजनम्
Pramati begot a son named Ruru by Ghritachi; and Ruru begot Sunaka by Pramadvara.
शुनकस्तु महासत्वः सर्वभार्गवनन्दनः। जातस्तपसि तीव्रे च स्थितः स्थिरयशास्ततः
Sunaka, of great spirit and joy of all the Bhargavas, was born and stood firm in severe austerity, thus gaining lasting fame.
तस्य ब्रह्मन्रुरोः सर्वं चरितं भूरितेजसः। विस्तरेण प्रवक्ष्यामि तच्छृणु त्वमशेषतः
O Brahman, I will now tell you in detail the entire story of Ruru, full of splendor; listen to it completely.
ऋषिरासीन्महान्पूर्वं तपोविद्यासमन्वितः। स्थूलकेश इति ख्यातः सर्वभूतहिते रतः
There was once a great sage, endowed with austerity and knowledge, known as Sthulakesha, who was devoted to the welfare of all beings.